Frequently Asked Internet Advertising Questions
by Shelley Lowery
If you're marketing a product on the Internet, developing a
successful advertising campaign is an important part of your
success. However, this is an area in which many Internet
marketers struggle.
For this reason, I have devised a list of the most
frequently asked advertising questions I have received.
Question: I'm new to the Internet and have been seeing a lot
of terms I'm not familiar with. Can you tell me what ROI
means?
Answer: You can find just about any Internet term you can
imagine at Net Lingo http://www.netlingo.com.
Here are a few common advertising terms used online:
ROI - Return on Investment
USP - Unique Selling Proposition
Conversion Rate - The number of visitors compared to the
number of sales
CPM - Cost Per Thousand (Associated with ezine advertising)
Question: What, in your opinion, is the most effective form
of Internet advertising?
Answer: In my opinion, ezine advertising is the most
effective form of advertising used on the Internet. Not only
is it cost-effective, but it also provides a great way to
reach your target audience.
The key to using ezine advertising effectively is to target
your audience and track your response. You must test the
effectiveness of both your ad and the publication in which
you're advertising. This will enable you to determine which
ads are pulling the most response and which publications are
providing you with the highest response rates.
The Directory of Ezines provides a complete online
searchable database of ezines that accept advertising. This
directory contains all the information you'll need to
effectively place your ads. There is a $39.95 per year
membership fee.
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=doe
If you're looking for a low cost alternative for purchasing
ezine advertising, Ezine Ad Auction will enable you to bid
on ad space in targeted ezines.
http://www.ezineadauction.com/
Question: Is banner advertising still effective?
Answer: Although banners are no longer as effective as they
once were, they're certainly not obsolete.
A few months ago, I tested the effectiveness of several
different banner designs and click through rates. The
overall results of my test concluded that the effectiveness
of banners has definitely declined over the past few years.
However, with over 12,000 click throughs delivered, banners
can still be very effective.
The banners used in my test were as follows:
=> Static banner with a text ad
=> Animated banner with a text ad
=> Static banner with text and the words "Click Here"
=> Static banner with blue underlined text
=> Static banner with text and a drop down box image with
submit button
Can you guess which banners were the most and least
effective? The results may surprise you.
Here's how the banners preformed:
3.0% - Static banner with blue underlined text
2.2% - Static banner with text and a drop down box image
with submit button
1.0% - Static banner with text and the words "Click Here"
0.9% - Animated banner with a text ad
0.2% - Static banner with a text ad
Question:When designing advertising banners, is there a
standard size used on the Internet?
Answer: Yes, here are the standard banner and button sizes
used on the Internet:
=> Standard Banner Sizes:
468x60
234x60
120x240
=> Standard Button Sizes:
125x125
120x60
88x31
Question: Can you tell me how I can test the effectiveness
of my banners?
Answer: In order to test your banners, you'll need to use a
script to display your banners and track the number of
exposures and click throughs.
I use a great script called Web Adverts. You can find it at
the following web address:
http://awsd.com/scripts/webadverts/index.shtml
To test the effectiveness of your banners, divide the number
of exposures by the number of click throughs.
Example Formula:
100 exposures divided by 25 click throughs = 4:1 ratio
A 4:1 ratio specifies that the banner is clicked on once for
every four exposures. The lower the number of exposures
compared to the click throughs, the better.
Question: I know that ezine advertising is an effective form
of advertising, but can you tell me about some other
advertising options?
Answer: There are many forms of advertising you can utilize
on the Internet. For example, there are a number of programs
referred to as "Pay Per" programs.
These programs include, pay-per-click, pay-per-lead and pay-
per-sale.
Pay-per-click programs will enable you to advertise to your
target audience and only pay for results -- you pay a set
amount for each visitor that is sent to your web site. The
most popular pay-per-click program is the pay-per-click
Search Engines. You can learn more about pay-per-click
Search Engines here:
http://www.payperclicksearchengines.com/
Pay-per-lead programs will enable you to only pay for leads.
These leads may be potential customers that fill out a
registration form, enter a sweepstakes, or download a free
product trial.
Pay-per-sales programs are simply affiliate programs.
Affiliates are paid a set commission for each qualifying
sale.
You can find a number of Pay-Per programs here:
http://www.clickaffiliate.com/
In addition to the above Pay-Per programs, you can purchase
pay-per-click banner ads. There are several companies online
that will place your banner within their network and charge
you a set fee for each click through.
Value Click
http://www.valueclick.com/
AdDynamix Pennyweb
http://home.pennyweb.com/
Another popular advertising technique used on the Internet
is pop-windows.
Although the effectiveness of pop-windows has declined (due
to software programs that prevent them from loading), pop-
windows can still be an effective advertising tool.
For further information on using pop-windows, you may read
the following articles:
Create Your Own "First Visit" Pop-Window
http://www.web-source.net/popups.htm
Pop-Under Windows - The Latest Pop-Window Trend
http://www.web-source.net/popunder.htm
Question: I'd like to track my advertising response rates,
but I'm not sure how to do it. Can you help?
Answer: The easiest way to track your advertising strategies
is to use a script that will track the number of clicks a
specific link receives.
Below are some ad tracking resources to assist you in your
testing and tracking endeavors.
Ad Tracking CGI Scripts
LnkinLite http://www.dtp-aus.com/cgiscript/lnkinlte.shtml
If you're looking for a simple way to track click throughs,
then LnkinLite may be your answer. This free script will
enable you to easily keep track of the number of clicks a
specific link receives. Instead of using your standard link
within your advertising, you can use a link created by this
script. It will track the number of click throughs and
instantly redirect your visitors to your URL.
Willmaster's ProLinkz http://www.prolinkz.com/
This powerful script is a link creator, tracker, disguiser
and manager all in one. It will enable you to create
uniquely coded links that redirect to any URL you specify
and count all hits and referers. Cost - $45.00
When testing your advertising strategies, keep in mind, a
strategy that produces results for one person may not
produce results for you. There is no 'set in stone' strategy
that works for everyone. You must develop your own style and
technique and test your results to determine what works for
you.
Take your time and develop a strategic advertising plan that
produces results. Testing and tracking will be the key to
your advertising success.
Copyright © Shelley Lowery 2003.
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of Web Design Mastery - An in-
depth guide to professional web design. And, Ebook Starter -
A complete ebook design kit. Visit Web-Source.net to sign up
for a free subscription to Etips and receive a free copy of
the highly acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing
Strategies." http://www.web-source.net
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
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